Stapleton, Thomas

Stapleton, Thomas, a Roman Catholic clergyman, was born at Henfield, Sussex, England, in 1535. He was educated at Canterbury and Winchester, and then removed to New College, Oxford, where he obtained a perpetual fellowship in 1554. In the same, reign, that of Mary, he was made, prebendary of Chichester;

but, on the accession of Elizabeth, left the kingdom, and settled at Louvain, where he distinguished himself by his controversial writings against Jewel, Horne, Whitaker, and other eminent divines of the English Church. He also visited Paris and Rome; but returned to Louvain, where he translated Bede's Church History into English. He was made regius professor of divinity at Douay, and canon in the Church of St. Amonre. He became a Jesuit, but relinquished the order; and was appointed regius professor of divinity at Louvain, canon of St. Peter's, and dean of Hillerbeck. He died in 1598. His chief works are, Tres Thomoe, seu Res Gestoe S. Thomoe Apost., S. Thomoe Archiep. Song of Solomon et Thomoe Mori: — Orationes Funebres (Antwerp, 1577): — Orationes Catecheticoe (ibid. 1598): — Orationes Academicoe Miscellaneoe (ibid. 1602). His works were published collectively at Paris in 1620 (4 vols. fol.), to which is prefixed his life by Hollendum.